21-Crow
1138 Words
I nodded, my stomach dropping. What could he possibly want now? As I walked down the hallway, the sound of my boots echoing in the empty bar, I felt a mix of dread and anticipation.
When I stepped into his office, the room was bathed in shadows, the only light coming from the desk lamp. Crow sat in his chair, his eyes on me as I approached. He gestured to the seat in front of his desk, and I sat, my hands in my lap, my heart racing.
"Look, about earlier..." he began, his voice gruff. "I was out of line. I’m sorry."
He leaned forward, his elbows on the desk. "You're Mel's friend, and you're under my protection. I should have never touched you."
I didn’t know what to say to that, so I just nodded,
“Okay then, glad that's out of the way," he muttered, then, his expression softened slightly. "How's Leo holding up?"
"He's scared," I admitted. "But he's strong."
Crow's eyes searched mine. "You're both safe here and at my place," he said. "As long as you follow the rules."
I nodded, my throat tight. "I will."
"Good," he said, his voice final. "Now, go home and get some rest."
Minutes later, after gathering Leo, I walked out of the bar behind Rouger, heading toward the waiting vehicle. The reality of our situation wasn’t good, but for now, all I could do was focus on keeping Leo safe and keeping my feelings for Crow under wraps. But I couldn't help but wonder if the line between love and danger was already blurred beyond repair.
The ride back to the mansion was silent, the only sound the roar of the engine. As we pulled up to the massive gates, they swung open, revealing the towering house that had become our fortress.
"You good?" Rouger asked as he helped me out of the pickup.
"Yeah," I lied, forcing a smile. "Just tired."
He nodded, giving me a pat on the shoulder. "We're all in this together," he said before heading back into the night.
I took a deep breath and stepped into the house, the weight of the day's events pressing down on me like a heavy blanket. As I climbed the stairs to put Leo to bed, I couldn't help but feel that our lives had been irrevocably changed. We were in the lion's den, and I wasn't sure if we'd ever find our way out. But for now, I could hold my brother close and pray that the storm brewing outside our walls would pass us by.
Stretching out, I pulled the covers a little tighter around us, feeling a chill skate through my soul.
An hour later, Mel whispered, "Oceano," poking her head into the room.
"Yeah," I murmured groggily. "What's going on?"
Stepping into the room, she made her way over to the bed, sitting down beside me. "I'm worried about Dad," she announced, her voice thick with concern. "I've never seen him drink like this. He's in the study, getting wasted again."
~CROW~
The amber liquid burned a path down my throat, warming my chest and blurring the edges of my thoughts. The whiskey bottle was almost empty, but it hadn't managed to fill the void that had been gnawing at me since I kissed Oceano. She was a complication I didn't need, a desire I couldn't afford to indulge. My hand tightened around the glass, the sound of the ice cubes clinking together echoing through the silence of my study. I'd always been good at compartmentalizing my life—keeping the gang separate from my family, my past from my present. But she was a wildcard, a tornado that had blown through the walls I'd so carefully constructed.
I took another sip, the fiery liquid doing little to dull the ache in my chest. Mel's words played on repeat in my mind: "He's been watching you for a while now, you know." Had Oceano noticed? Did she know the kind of man her father really was? I pushed the thought away. I'd deal with that when I had to.
The clock ticked away the minutes, each one a reminder of the promise I'd made to her mother, to keep her and Leo safe. The irony wasn't lost on me. Phoenix had been my best friend, and I'd failed him in the worst possible way. Now, his daughter was all I had left to protect, and she was smack in the middle of a war I'd sworn to end. The war with the Serpents had been going on for too long, and now it threatened to consume everyone I cared about.
But as the whiskey burned a path to my gut, I knew one thing for sure: I'd go to hell and back to keep her safe. The problem was, the closer she got to me, the more danger she was in. And that was a line I couldn't let her cross. I had to keep her at arm's length, even if it meant breaking her heart—and possibly my own.
The door creaked open, and Mel's concerned face peeked in. "You okay, Dad?" she asked softly.
I forced a smile. "Just fine, baby girl. Just working out some...old business."
Her eyes searched mine, and for a moment, I thought she could see right through me. "You're not going to do anything stupid, are you?"
"Never," I assured her, the lie rolling off my tongue easily. "Now, get some sleep. We've got a big day tomorrow."
As she left, I took one last swig of whiskey, the room spinning slightly. I'd deal with the consequences in the morning. For now, I needed to figure out a way to keep Oceano off my mind. God, the woman set me on fire.
I stumbled out of the study, making my way down the hall to my room. The house was quiet, the only sound the occasional creak of the floorboards beneath my feet. As I passed Mel's room, I heard a soft sniffling sound. I paused, my hand hovering over the doorknob. Did she know? Did she suspect?
Shaking off the thought, I pushed open my door, the heavy wood groaning in protest. The room was a mess, clothes and paperwork scattered across the floor and bed. The chaos mirrored my thoughts, my life. I couldn't let myself get tangled up in this.
But as I lay there, staring at the ceiling, I couldn't help but think about her. The way her eyes had lit up when she talked about Leo, the way she'd thrown herself into danger to protect him. She was strong, fierce, and beautiful—everything I hadn't realized I needed. And now she was a part of my world, a world that could very well destroy her.
- Writer
